The Effects of Age Stereotypes on Physical and Mental Health Are Mediated by Self-perceptions of Aging

Abstract Objectives Although the evidence linking views on aging (VoA) with aging outcomes is robust, little is known about how different types of VoA may interact to influence such outcomes. Therefore, this study examined two types of VoA, age stereotypes (AS), representing general VoA, and self-perceptions of aging (SPA), representing personal VoA. We operationalized SPA in terms of awareness of age-related change (AARC), distinguishing between gain- and loss-related SPA (e.g., awareness of positive and negative age-related changes, respectively). Based on theoretical reasoning, we hypothesized that AS would be an antecedent of SPA, and that the effect of AS on physical and mental health would be mediated by SPA. Method A total of 819 German and U.S. adults aged 40–98 completed a survey on VoA, physical health, and mental health at baseline and 2.5 years later. Structural equation modeling with latent variables was used to examine the effects of Time 1 AS (predictor) and Time 2 gain- and loss-related SPA (mediators) on physical and mental health outcomes. Results As hypothesized, AS predicted later SPA. Loss-related SPA mediated the effect of AS on physical health; both gain- and loss-related SPA mediated the effect of AS on mental health. Discussion Congruent with theoretical assumptions, our findings provide empirical support for a directional pathway by which AS shape later SPA. We conclude that AS and SPA may affect physical health outcomes more strongly than mental health outcomes. Studies that assess both types of VoA are needed to illuminate the pathways by which VoA influence aging outcomes.

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Longitudinal Correlates of Loneliness and Psychological Distress During the Lockdown Situation due to COVID-19. Effects of Age and Self-Perceptions of Aging

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbab012 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andrés Losada-Baltar ◽

José Ángel Martínez-Huertas ◽

Lucía Jiménez-Gonzalo ◽

María del Sequeros Pedroso-Chaparro ◽

Laura Gallego-Alberto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Stressful Situation ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Personal Variables ◽

Dependent Variables ◽

Perceptions Of Aging

Abstract Objectives To longitudinally analyze the correlates of loneliness and psychological distress in people exposed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown, exploring the effects of age and self-perceptions of aging (SPA). Methods A longitudinal follow-up of 1,549 participants was carried out at four different time points during the lockdown in Spain. Questions about the risk of COVID-19, age, SPA, family and personal resources, loneliness, and psychological distress were measured. Results Changes in loneliness showed a linear longitudinal trajectory through time, but changes in psychological distress showed a U-shaped relationship with time. Age was a relevant predictor of differences in distress, with older people reporting less psychological distress. Change in both dependent variables was related to change in different predictors like family and personal variables and also to negative SPA. Discussion In a stressful situation such as the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults may be more resilient to adverse mental health outcomes by using more adaptive resources that strengthen their resilience. Support is provided for the importance of stereotyped views of the aging process that, independently of chronological age, may put people at risk of suffering adverse mental health outcomes such as loneliness and psychological distress in times of crisis.

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Systematic Review of Displacement and Health Impact From Natural Disasters in Southeast Asia

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2019.125 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Subin Jang ◽

Yuko Ekyalongo ◽

Hyun Kim

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Southeast Asia ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Physical Health ◽

Natural Disasters ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Increased Risk ◽

2004 Tsunami

ABSTRACT Disaster-induced displacement is associated with an increased risk of physical and mental health disorders. We aim to understand (1) the magnitude and pattern of natural disasters, affected-population, and deaths by analyzing the surveillance data by the Emergency Events Database and (2) health outcomes by a systematic review of previous studies (1975–2017), which reported physical or mental health outcomes and epidemiological measure of association among population displaced by natural disasters in Southeast Asia. A total of 674 disasters, mainly floods, storms, and earthquakes, occurred between 2004 and 2017. From the systematic review, among 6 studies met inclusion criteria, which focused on mental health (n = 5) and physical health (n = 1). All studies describing mental health resulted from the 2004 tsunami in Ache, Indonesia. We found over 7 times more publications for the disasters in Far East Asia. Selected studies revealed significantly worse mental health outcomes and poor physical health among displaced population compared with nondisplaced population. Despite the alarmingly large population displaced by natural disasters in Southeast Asia, very few studies investigate physical and mental health outcomes of such crisis. Following the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, researcher and policy-makers have to present more resources toward preventing and mitigating health outcomes.

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Longitudinal Dyadic Effects of Aging Self-Perceptions on Health

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbaa082 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ella Cohn-Schwartz ◽

Dikla Segel-Karpas ◽

Liat Ayalon

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Health ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Older Couples ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Perceptions Of Aging ◽

Effects Of Aging ◽

Mental And Physical Health

Abstract Objectives Adults’ perceptions of aging are known to affect their mental and physical health. However, not much is known about how perceptions of aging within the couple-unit affect each member of the unit. Therefore, the current study explores the effects of husbands’ and wives’ self-perceptions of aging (SPA) on each other’s physical and mental health, both directly and indirectly, through impacting each other’s SPA. Method The study used data from the Health and Retirement Study, focusing on couples aged 50 and older. Self-rated health and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D) were used as indicators of physical and mental health. SPA was measured using the “Attitudes toward aging” subscale of the “Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale.” An actor–partner interdependence mediation model was used to examine the effects of the 2008 SPA of couples on each other’s 2012 SPA and 2016 health. Results The SPA of both husbands and wives was associated with their own future mental and physical health in 2016, but not with that of their partner. However, their SPA was associated with their partner’s health indirectly, by influencing the SPA of the partner. That is, the SPA of both husbands and wives in 2008 impacted their partner’s SPA in 2012, which was subsequently related to that partner’s mental and physical health in 2016. Discussion Older couples can influence each other’s health indirectly, by affecting each other’s SPA. This indicates that adults’ SPA are interconnected, and thus, the entire couple-unit should be targeted to enhance positive SPA.

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The Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Self-Reported Physical and Mental Health Outcomes in Adulthood

Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies ◽

10.22610/jebs.v8i3(j).1292 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8 (3(J)) ◽

pp. 101-114

Author(s):

Chong-Hwan Son

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcome ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Physical Health ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

Physical Health Outcome

The number of physically and mentally unhealthy days as a measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is used to examine the different effects of the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on physical and mental health outcomes. The data, a cross-sectional state-level survey, is obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2012. Multiple regression analyses are conducted for the study. The results indicate that all individual ACE categories are inversely associated with both physical and mental health, as respondents who exposed to any adverse childhood experience are likely to have physically- and mentally-related poor HRQOL in adulthood. The estimated coefficients for individual ACEs in magnitude on the mental health outcome are, in overall, greater than the estimated coefficients on the physical health outcome. The regression results with accumulative ACE scores indicate that higher levels of the ACE score would affect higher negative health outcomes, such as the dosage effects that appear again in this study. The estimated coefficients of accumulative ACE scores on the mental health outcome exceed the coefficients of ACE scores on physical health outcome for an ACE score of 2 and above. The gap in the estimated coefficients of ACE scores between physically and mentally unhealthy days increases as the ACE score rises. The estimated coefficient at the score ACE8 for the mentally unhealthy days becomes almost twice as large as the coefficient for the physically unhealthy days. Importantly, the negative effects of ACEs on mental health outcomes are significantly greater than the negative effects on physical health outcomes.

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296. CDC/NIOSH Emergency Response: Physical and Mental Health Outcomes Following Exposure at the World Trade Center Disaster

10.3320/1.2757916 ◽

2003 ◽

Author(s):

L. Tapp ◽

S. Baron ◽

B. Bernard ◽

R. Driscoll ◽

K. Kelly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Emergency Response ◽

World Trade ◽

World Trade Center ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

World Trade Center Disaster ◽

The World ◽

Trade Center

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Potential impact of physical distancing on physical and mental health: a rapid narrative umbrella review of meta-analyses on the link between social connection and health

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042335 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. e042335

Author(s):

Nexhmedin Morina ◽

Ahlke Kip ◽

Thole Hilko Hoppen ◽

Stefan Priebe ◽

Thomas Meyer

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Vaccine Uptake ◽

Living Alone ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Social Connection ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Meta Analyses

BackgroundThe imperative for physical distancing (mostly referred to as social distancing) during COVID-19 pandemic may deteriorate physical and mental health. We aimed at summarising the strength of evidence in the published literature on the association of physical and mental health with social connection via social isolation, living alone and loneliness.MethodsWe conducted a systematic search in April 2020 to identify meta-analyses using the Medline, PsycINFO and Web of Science databases. The search strategy included terms of social isolation, loneliness, living alone and meta-analysis. Eligible meta-analyses needed to report any sort of association between an indicator of social connection and any physical or mental health outcome. The findings were summarised in a narrative synthesis.ResultsTwenty-five meta-analyses met our criteria, of which 10 focused on physical health and 15 on mental health outcomes. The results suggest that lack of social connection is associated with chronic physical symptoms, frailty, coronary heart disease, malnutrition, hospital readmission, reduced vaccine uptake, early mortality, depression, social anxiety, psychosis, cognitive impairment in later life and suicidal ideation.ConclusionsThe existing evidence clearly indicates that social connection is associated with a range of poor physical and mental health outcomes. A potential negative impact on these outcomes needs to be considered in future decisions on physical distancing measures.

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